


Ocean Flower

by Crystal_Pepsii



Category: Original Work
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:54:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22702045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crystal_Pepsii/pseuds/Crystal_Pepsii
Kudos: 1





	Ocean Flower

“She’s a deep water ship and a deep water crew!” A voice sang, sparkling off the wet cobbles leading from the orange glow of the tavern.  
“A-weigh, you Rio!” the taverns patrons sang along in varied soberness and clarity.  
The warm glow was the only light source on the cold streets, the moon having long risen and carried with it a frosted night.  
“You can keep to the coast but we’re damned if we do!” The same voice sang, the tone was light and joyous, with a small lilt in annunciation.  
With a final uproar from the tavern crowd a booming “And we’re bound for the Rio Grande!” shook the walls.  
Laughter filled the night, only increasing as the tavern door flew open, casting with it a wave of flicking light from the fire warming the tavern.  
A small man stepped out, still laughing as he shivered at the sudden cold. Humming a tune as he cast a well loved lute over his shoulder, waving a final goodbye to the taverns patrons and stepping into the frosty night. 

The man pulled his shockingly purple cloak tighter over his shoulders, trying in vain to keep in the warmth of the tavern. He glanced around to orient himself before heading towards the docks, the buzz of his performance fading with every step. 

The docks, much to his relief, was much louder than the empty streets. Sailors yelling and hauling cargo onto both great industry ships and smaller courier barges. Skipping over to the closest sailor, the bard grinned cheerfully, “excuse me my good fellow! Are you perhaps heading west?”  
The sailor took a draw from a pipe, not turning to look at the small man he muttered “we don’t take no passengers.”  
The bard didn’t seem to be disheartened and continued “ah but sir! I am no mere passenger! My names Kedic, song master and poet at your service!” Kedic dipped into a deep bow, dramatically swinging his arms outwards.  
“We don’t take no bards either.” The man said finally, flicking the ash from his pipe and walking away.  
Kedic pouted briefly, intending to ask another sailor. However, as he turned back to the dock he noticed it seemed to be getting emptier by the second.  
With slight desperation he approached another sailor, “excuse-“ before finishing his sentence the sailor muttered “not looking for a whore thanks.”  
Kedic gawked in shock, spluttering in offence he snapped “I am no whore! I’m-“, again he was interrupted “A bard, I know. Same thing.”  
Kedic grumbled and stormed further into the docks, sure he may be more promiscuous than most but he wouldn’t go as far as ‘whore.’ 

His panic grew further with each half hearted rejection or outright refusal. His frantic questioning only halted by an enraged shout.  
“Dirty fucking stowaway!” Screamed a large Dragonborn, throwing a human man from the side of a barge, “I see you again and your dead! You hear me!” He continued, his words following the human as he desperately scrambled away. 

“Stowaway...” Kedic muttered to himself in thought, biting his lip as he considered the morality and risk of the situation.  
Usually he would never even consider doing something that risked such dire consequences, but he must head west immediately. After searching for word of his family for so long, even just a direction was a breakthrough.  
After balancing the pros and cons for a moment, he noticed how the dock has almost emptied. It was now or never.

Nervously stumbling along the darkened dock, he noticed a large isolated ship.  
The isolation would decrease the risk of any witnesses, and the size would mean more places to hide.  
Picking at his long nails he nervously approached the ship, noticing no sailors nearby he whimpered and crept closer.  
Nervously glancing at the pitch black water lapping viciously below the dock, Kedic took a steadying breath and leapt onto the side of the boat. Claws digging into the hull he nervously began to climb up the side, using his scaled tail to lift himself further.  
Peaking above the banister he found the deck only contained a few oddly dressed sailors, seemingly occupied with final riggings and adjustments.  
His eyes focused on a trap door, shadowed in darkness in a distant corner.  
Gritting his teeth in nerves, Kedic gently pulled himself over the banister, slowly easing towards the trap door.  
Keeping low to the floor he winced as it clicked open, after confirming he was unnoticed he slowly eased himself inside, again closing the door with a soft click.  
His eyes quickly adjusted to the new darkness, only stripes of orange from the ships hanging gas lamps slipping through the wood grain.  
Finding only a few barrels and large crates, Kedic sighed in relief. Pulling his lute to his chest as to not create any noise, he slid past some barrels, finding a small alcove between a large crate and what looked like a spare sail.  
Curling up into a small ball, he hugged his lute to the chest. Glancing around his eyes landed on what looked like a broken crate, casting its bounty onto the wooden floor. The contents seemed like large metal balls, which smelt of smoke and ash. Kedic scrunched his nose at the smell, presuming the ship to be carting some kind of magic supplies, perhaps for fire mages?  
He elected to avoid all magic use during his journey, worried as to what might set off other objects he presumed to be in the other barrels and crates. 

With a sudden rock forwards, causing Kedic to scramble slightly. The ship cast out of the docks, yelling from the deck carrying downwards, flinching into himself Kedic nervously prepared himself for the journey ahead. Unsure whether this spur of the moment decision would end up helping or harming him, Kedic decided to occupy himself with a song. Whispering so softly only gentle noises seemed to leave his lips, he continued his song from earlier,  
“...and we’re bound for the Rio Grande...”


End file.
